This invention is related to an interactive method and system for providing product related information to a customer using information carried by the product itself, such as a UPC code, and enabling various transactions related to that product.
The use of computer networks has grown dramatically in recent years and the number and types of applications and services which are now available to a user has likewise increased substantially over the years. Generally, a computer network is a set of computers (or xe2x80x9chostsxe2x80x9d) which are able to communicate electronically. Each host is assigned a specific numeric address, which the network uses to route information to that particular host. To facilitate human use of the networks, each numeric address is often given its own unique alphanumeric code (or xe2x80x9cmnemonicxe2x80x9d) so that the user may better and more easily remember the address. For example, the numeric address 200.87.482.32 may be assigned to the mnemonic xe2x80x9cstore.comxe2x80x9d.
At the present time, the largest and fastest growing network is commonly known as the xe2x80x9cInternetxe2x80x9d, a world-wide xe2x80x9cnetwork of networksxe2x80x9d which is formed by a great number of interconnected computers and computer networks. The Internet has a series of communication protocols which connect the collection of computer resources in a network fashion. Many of the sites available on the Internet can be accessed using popular standard protocols or formats, such as Hypertext Transport Protocol (xe2x80x9cHTTPxe2x80x9d). Each of these sites acts as a remote server and is designed to provide information to the user""s computer in accordance with a particular format or protocol. Sites on the Internet that have been set up using HTTP protocol are commonly referred to as being xe2x80x9cWeb sitesxe2x80x9d. If the user wishes to communicate with a particular, selected Web site, the user""s computer must first be in communication with the Internet and must also be capable of communicating using HTTP protocol. Software in the user""s computer which permits this to be accomplished is often called a xe2x80x9cbrowserxe2x80x9d, for it allows the user to browse from one Web site to another site.
Users may also specify a Web site by manually typing in the site""s location as a Uniform Resource Locator (xe2x80x9cURLxe2x80x9d). The URL is unique to a specific location and is used to specify the precise location of a particular resource. The URL has three fields, namely:  less than resource type greater than  less than domain name greater than  less than path greater than . The domain name is the alphanumeric network address on which a particular resource resides. The path is the specific directory and file on the host where a resource is stored. A typical URL is http://jjohnson.cc.umass.edu.html.
Often times, browsing through Web sites is fairly easy due to individual Web pages (HTML document) having a highlighted xe2x80x9clinkxe2x80x9d or embedded URL specifying the Internet address of another Web site (another HTML document). To access this other Web site, the user simply xe2x80x9cclicks onxe2x80x9d or selects the highlighted URL with a pointing device, i.e., a computer mouse. However, if the user wishes to connect to a Web site that is not referenced in a HTML document, then the user has to manually input the URL of the Web site. This is not always an easy task and can be a very frustrating task as it requires the user to know the entire URL of the Web site. Often times, the particular URL may be fairly long and complex to remember.
Devices have been developed to assist an individual in storing URLs that are of interest to that particular individual. For example, it is known to use bar coded symbols which are encoded with a URL indicating the location of a particular Web site that is of interest. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,024 to Knowles, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, an Internet scanning system is provided. The system includes a wireless bar code symbol reading system having a hand-supported laser scanning bar code symbol reading device for reading a bar code symbol. The programmed bar code symbol reader functions to read a bar code symbol that is encoded with the URL of a Web site which the user desires to access. The URL-encoded bar code symbol may be conveniently placed in all types of printed matter, including printed guides, directories or publications which digest, catalogue, organize or otherwise list WWW sites. Furthermore, the URL-encoded bar code symbol may be placed in advertising in magazines, newspapers, and the like so that a user, who is interested in obtaining more information on the particular product or service being advertised, may simply use the wireless bar code symbol reading system to scan the URL-encoded bar code symbol.
In the ""024 patent, the Internet scanning system also includes a scanning integrated terminal which may be a part of an interactive web-based television system. The terminal (i.e., a computer or transportable computer) is connected to the Internet using known communication methods. During operation, the scanning device is used to read the URL-encoded bar code symbol printed on some type of matter in order to connect to the corresponding Web site thereof. Thus, this type of system eliminates the need for the user to remember a long and sometimes complex URL of a particular Web site or the like. However, such a system has limitations as the system has a fixed relationship between the URL code and the Web site that is linked to this particular URL code. This severely limits the type and amount of information available to the user. For example, the user is not able to select the type of information which he/she desires concerning the particular product or service identified by the URL code but rather the user is simply sent to a particular section of a Web site which is linked to the URL code. This may not be especially helpful to the user as often times the URL code is linked to a very general Web page that does not include the type of information the user would like to view. In addition, this type of device is merely a locator device which simply improves the process and ease of accessing a particular Web site. The device does not provide the user with other options, such as access to other Web sites that may be of interest, etc.
In addition, other types of computer communication systems have also been developed for giving users convenient access to information located on computer networks, such as the Internet. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,978,773, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, a system and method for using an ordinary article of commerce to access a remote computer are presented. As most consumers are aware, most products or other articles of commerce have an associated bar code or other indicia thereon which uniquely identifies the product. The indicia encodes (in human and/or machine readable form) a UPC or other identification number, which is associated with the article in accordance with an extrinsic standard. As most consumers realize, a majority of products contain a visible bar code displayed on the product itself, its packaging or some other component of the product. The use of bar codes is especially prevalent in the shopping arena where products are inventoried using bar codes and are purchases are made at a register by scanning the bar codes.
In the ""773 patent, a computer database is provided that relates standard UPC codes to Internet URLs or network addresses. To access a network resource relating to a particular product, the user swipes a bar code reader across the product""s UPC code. The database then retrieves the URL corresponding to the UPC product data. This location information is then used to access the desired resource on the network. It is often difficult to present URL data in bar code format because the resulting bar codes would be too long for practical use. By using existing UPC product information and then developing a database of network locations, the manufacturers do not need to list their addresses on the product or packaging itself, which many times has a limited area. The UPC code can be printed on removable stickers or detachable cards, thereby allowing the users to simply clip the UPC code for future reference.
While this system is useful in some applications, it has limitations that adversely impact the number and types of potential applications for the system. Once again, there is a fixed relationship between the UPC code and a Web site linked to that particular UPC code. In operation, the user scans the UPC code and a search of the database is done. If the UPC code matches one that is stored in the database, records are retrieved and displayed. For each record, a link associated with the URL is provided and when the user selects the link, browser software or the like loads the URL associated with the selected link to access the resource at the location specified by the particular URL. The association is based on selected criteria and many times, the selected criteria will be the existence of a Web resource sponsored by the manufacturer of the product identified by the UPC code. The association could also be based on the existence of a Web site that simply refers to or relates to the particular product. The database may also be incorporated with a database or search engine.
One of the disadvantages of this type of system is that the types of information which are accessible to the user are limited. The system primarily is designed to provide a link to informational resources that are associated with the product and more specifically, are associated with the UPC code. Thus, the information called up by the scanning of the UPC code may be much too general and entirely useless. For example, the scanning of a UPC code for a bottle of aspirin might lead to a general page for the manufacturer of the aspirin instead of a more specific page on the product itself. The printed URL address on the product may actually lead to a more comprehensive and useful page on the aspirin product itself. The user is thus not given specific options listing the types of information or services that are available to the user and therefore, the user may become frustrated and overwhelmed with general, useless information.
Similar systems, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,102 to Schachar, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, may be used to encode a resource address (Internet URL, E-mail address, or other similar network specifier) into a symbol. In operation, the symbol is scanned and application software accepts the data (i.e., URL) encoded in the symbol and interprets the data as a network resource address. After decoding the symbol, the application software is then able to generate a request to connect to the specified resource or E-mail address. A network session is then established to connect the user to the resource address. These system are fairly basic in that they are designed to permit the user to access the resource address in a simple and more efficient manner than if the user had to manually enter the resource address to provide a connection thereto. For the same reasons stated hereinbefore, these systems are likewise limited in that they have a fixed relationship between the encoded symbol and a resource address which is linked to the encoded symbol. While being useful in some applications, this type of system limits the types of information or services which can be provided to the user.
What is needed in the art and has heretofore not been available is an interactive system and method for providing product and related information to a customer using information carried by the product itself, such as the UPC code, where the customer is given a options menu listing the information and/or services available to the consumer. What is further needed in the art and has heretofore not been available is a system that is incorporated into a hand-held device, such as a cellular phone, and uses product information (e.g., UPC code) to provide pricing information from multiple sources. A benefit of such a system is that the customer is able to compare the prices of a number of merchants and individual merchants may bid to fulfill a customer""s order at a lowest price, etc., based upon a request order being generated by the customer. What is further needed in the art and has heretofore not been available is a customer-accessible database incorporated into the interactive system and containing customer entries specified by the customer so that the customer may keep a log of products or services already used and any commentary with respect thereto. The present invention satisfies these and other needs.
The present invention provides a system and method for interactively providing product and related information to a user based upon product identification information, such as a UPC code, and enabling the user to engage in various transactions related to the product. According to one aspect of the present invention, the system informs and educates the user about a particular product or service which the user is interested in and enables the user to efficiently purchase the product or service. Information which is provided to the user is not specifically limited to product information which has been provided by the manufacturer or a primary merchant but instead can come from multiple sources. These additional sources can be neutral or competing sources. For example, the product information may be in the form of product review studies and ratings obtained from a consumer products group which has tested and compared the product to other products within the same or similar class.
The system is connected to a network, such as a wireless network and/or the Internet, and accessed by a user access device through which the user can enter product identification information, e.g., the UPC code, forward the information to the system and preferably receive data communication in return. The user access device is a communications device which can establish a data connection to the network and in one embodiment, the user access device is a cellular phone having a device which can read the product identification information. When the product identification information is in the form of a bar code, such as a UPC or EAN international bar code, a bar code reader is incorporated into or attached to the user access device.
In operation of the system, the user simply uses the device to read the product identification information which is unique to that particular product and this information is communicated to the product information system through the network. The system has one or more modules which execute various functions which are available to the user. For example and according to one embodiment, the system has a main module which controls access to various function modules in communication therewith. Preferably, the system offers a number of functions to the user and in one embodiment, the system has modules which provide product information, facilitate transactions, provide product review information, provide price comparisons, and provide a personalized user database which the user may use to track personalized product information. Access to the various function modules can be provided according to a menu-based system, wherein the user is presented with the various options available and can select which functions to initiate. The user may also select a xe2x80x9cfind-allxe2x80x9d function which will determine the type of information and functionality available to the user.
By using an established, preexisting code (i.e., the UPC code) which is disposed on the product itself or is printed on some type of matter, the database is able to link the user with a vast amount of information and related services. Unlike conventional systems which do no more than simply direct a user to a specific Web site that has been pre-associated with the product, the present system provides the user with a rich and dynamic source of information and functionality which can come from a vast number of sources. The user may access information provided directly by the manufacturer or related party as well as having access to information supplied by third parties, i.e., product reviews, ratings, etc. In addition, the user may also search for information on related products as the system preferably contains a product classification for each product identification.
Advantageously, the present invention provides the user with the ability to easily and efficiently obtain comparative pricing information and be able purchase the particular product that has been identified and read by the user access device. One of the functions the user may choose on the menu is a price comparison function. After the product identification information has been read and the price comparison function is selected, a pricing database is accessed. This functionality is configured so that various price quotes are gathered from various vendors for one or more products specified by the user. For example, various on-line merchants may be queried and price quotes obtained. The various price quotes and related purchase conditions or other price-related information are then preferably formatted and transmitted to the user.
The system also include a transaction function which facilitates the purchase of various products. Any number of techniques may be used to enable purchase of products. For example, the user may be provided with links to one or more on-line merchants or suppliers of the product and by accessing those links, the user may purchase the product. However, most products are available from more than one merchant so the system is designed to coordinate a bidding process wherein various merchants bid to fulfill a user""s purchase request.
In another aspect of the present invention, the system permits the user to add and update product information to the information stored on the database. For example, if the product identification information is not found in the database, the user may input this information into the database. The system will preferably indicate using an icon or the like that the information is user-inputted and has not been verified. The user may also add personalized information when accessing other information or using the functionality of the system. For example, the user may add their own review and commentary concerning a particular product or service.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the system contains a customer database which is a personalized database. The user may add selected products to their personalized database by entering the product""s identification information. This may be easily done by simply reading the product identification information using the reader and then selecting from the user database function from the options menu. The user then instructs the system to store the product identification information in the personalized database and the user may also add commentary concerning the product or service. It is difficult sometimes to remember if purchase of a particular product would result in a duplicate transaction. For example, people that have vast numbers of cassettes, books, video tapes, etc., may easily forget the extent of such collection. By maintaining a personalized product information database, the user will be alerted in the situation where the user has read a product that is already in the database.
The system also permits batching of searches, wherein the user scans plural objects and instructs the system to gather information about all the products to permit comparative analysis and shopping. For example, the user may scan in several stereo system models and the present system will compile product information, reviews, other product information and will also retrieve the best purchase price for each stereo system.
In yet another aspect, a method of providing personalized transactional benefits at a point of purchase over a network based on personalized identification information provided by a consumer and stored at a first server is provided. The first server also has stored thereat a plurality of product identification numbers which are used to identify articles of commerce, where each article of commerce bears an indicia on which one product identification number is encoded. The method includes the steps of (a) providing a code symbol reader, operably connected to the first server of the network, for scanning the indicia on the product. The indicia is associated with the product identification number and the code symbol reader includes a personalized identifier to identify the consumer; (b) reading at least a portion of the indicia on the article of commerce using the code symbol reader; (c) retrieving from the first server the product identification number associated with the indicia on the article of commerce; (d) processing the at least one personalized identifier of the consumer and retrieving from the first server the personalized identification information provided by the consumer; (e) displaying at least one of pricing information, purchasing options, and product information for the article of commerce; and (f) offering personalized transactional benefits for the purchase of the article of commerce based on the personalized identification information provided by the consumer.
In one embodiment, the personalized identification information includes a listing of affinity programs that the consumer is enrolled in and includes a listing of associated identification numbers for each program. The personalized identification information includes a database of past purchases of the consumer. The system is configured so that offering personalized transactional benefits involves, in one embodiment, the steps of (a) determining whether the consumer is entitled to a discount towards the purchase of the product based on membership in one or more affinity programs and (b) if the consumer belongs to a qualifying program, then the consumer is offered, at the code symbol reader location, certain benefits, such as reduced purchase price, free shipping and handling, future coupons, etc.
The present invention thus provides a comprehensive interactive method and system for providing product information to a user and also enable various transactions related to the product to be made.